This is Home
by RedShoebox
Summary: We never hear about Ernie's parents. It makes one think he doesn't have any. So, shouldn't he be in an orphanage? Well, in this story, he gets sent to one. This summary sucks, I know. YOU SHOULD REVIEW IF YOU READ THIS. Seriously.


Chapter One

It was a bright, sunny day on Sesame Street. Everyone was in a good mood (everyone except a certain grouch), and it seemed as though nothing could make this day turn sour. Big Bird, Elmo, and Abby Cadabby were playing a game of catch, Baby Bear and Telly were creating a story involving Hero Guy, and Rosita and Zoe were playing tag. Bob, Gordon and Susan were at Hooper's, and everyone else was inside.

Speaking of inside, Bert was in his chair reading a very good book about a pigeon who could read minds, while Ernie sat, being bored.

"Hey, Bert." Ernie said.

"What, Ernie?" Bert said. "I'm in the middle of this book."

"Wanna play a game?"

"No, Ernie, this book is getting interesting."

"I'm sure it is." Ernie said, in a sort of sarcastic manner. "Please, Bert?" Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Why don't you go ask whoever's at the door to play a game with you. I'm busy." Bert said, motioning for Ernie to go see who was at the door.

"Hm. I wonder who it could be." Ernie said, walking towards the door.

When he opened the door, he saw someone he didn't recognize. The person at the door was a woman with long, brown hair and blue eyes who looked to be about twenty-nine or so. She was wearing a long-sleeved grey shirt with a black vest and a black skirt that went down to her knees. She held a tote bag in one hand. She also wore a nametag that read: "Stacey F., Councilor."

"Um," The woman said, looking around as if she wasn't sure if she was where she was supposed to be. "My name is Stacey Fernback, and I'm from the Division of Children and Family Services."

"Who is it, Ernie?" Bert said, looking out from behind his book. "Is it someone important?"

"It's someone from the Division of Children and Family Services, Bert." Ernie said.

"What?" Bert said, getting up from his chair. "The Division of Children and Family Services?"

Bert walked over to the door. "Hi. My name is Stacey Fernback." She said to Bert. "May I come in for a minute or so?"

"Uh, I think you have the wrong people." Bert said.

"Is this the home of Bert and Ernie?" She asked.

"Uh… yes…" Bert replied. "Come in."

"Sorry, I don't mean to be a bother or anything, but they just sent me out as soon as they got the call." Stacey said.

"Um, yes," Bert said. "Just take a seat wherever."

"Oh. Thank you." Stacey said, sitting down in Bert's chair.

"Um… well, I'm Ernie, and this is my buddy, Bert." Ernie said.

"Oh, nice to meet you." Stacey said, while shaking hands.

"So, what is this about, anyway?" Bert asked.

"Well," Stacey began, "The DCFS had received a call regarding Ernie here and they sent me to ask you guys a few questions."

"And who exactly made this call about Ernie?" Bert asked.

"I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. I guess they wanted to remain anonymous." Stacey said. "But anyway, they asked me to give you a survey… sort of…" She fingered through a stack of papers. "Ah, here we are."

"What kind of questions are they exactly?" Bert said.

"Bert, calm down." Ernie said. "I'm sure it's nothing bad."

"Oh, no, it's not at all, actually." Stacey said. "Let's see… how long have you two been living here?"

"Um…" Ernie thought. "For as long as I can remember, I guess."

"Okay… Bert, do you know?" Stacey asked.

"Oh, I don't know." Bert replied.

"How about we just say a really long time… okay…" Stacey wrote something down on a piece of paper. "Just a few more questions here… okay, do you two get a long okay?"

"Well, me and Bert do kinda argue once in a while, but that's normal, right?" Ernie said.

Then Stacey said, "…yeah… um, what do you fight about?"

"Oh, just little things. Nothing to worry about, really." Bert said, nodding.

"Uh huh…" She wrote another thing down. "Okay…" She looked a tad bit concerned. "Ernie… um, where are your parents?"

Ernie scratched his head. "Um… I dunno." He said, casually.

"Is there any way to contact them?" Stacey asked.

"Nope, not that I know of." Ernie replied.

"Do you even know your parents?" She asked.

"No." He replied. "I don't even know what they look like."

"Oh… okay." She looked even more concerned. "Are you two related?"

"No." Bert said.

"How did guys meet?" Stacey asked.

"I don't know… I guess we've always known each other." Ernie replied.

"We met through friends, you could say." Bert corrected.

"N-no, I couldn't. Could you explain?" Stacey asked.

"Um…" Bert said.

"Oh, well, that's not important right now." Stacey said. A musical ring sound came from her tote bag. "Oh, could you excuse me for a second? I have to take this."

They both nodded at her. Bert gestured towards the door. Stacey left the room.

"Well. That was… unusual." Bert said.

"Yeah, what do you think that was about, Bert?" Ernie said.

"I don't know Ernie. But that sure was strange." Bert said. Ernie nodded in agreement.

"Hey… wait a minute." Ernie said, he started to look worried.

"What?" Bert said.

"Well, what if she tries to take me away somewhere?" Ernie said. "Or she could take you away, Bert! Oscar's told me stories."

"Ernie, first of all, Oscar is a grouch. He's only doing that to scare you. Second of all, I highly doubt that. She seems like a nice lady, doesn't she?"

"Well, I don't know Bert. She kinda gave me a weird look."

"Ernie, you're starting to sound like me. She's not going to take you or me away. Calm yourself."

"Yeah, maybe I'm just over reacting, Bert. I'm sure it's nothing bad."

Just then, the door opened, and Stacey came in with a rather unsettled look on her face.

"Um… uh yeah, I don't really know how to put this… but, uh… my supervisor has informed me that… um… Ernie has been taken into the state's custody." Stacey said, nervously.

"_WHAT?"_ Bert said.

"Um… yes, I don't like to be the one who says these things, but, yes. So, it's effective tomorrow…" Stacey said.

"What… what? What's going to happen?" Bert said.

"Well, basically, Ernie has to gather up his things and I'm supposed to take him to Oakbrook Hall tomorrow afternoon." Stacey said.

"What's Oakbrook Hall?" Ernie asked.

"Oakbrook Hall is a foster facility for children who don't have parents or close relatives to live with." Stacey explained.

"You're taking Ernie to an orphanage?" Bert exclaimed.

"No, no, no, I didn't say that!" Stacey tried to reassure them, but to no avail.

"Bert, you told me she wasn't gonna take me away!" Ernie panicked.

"You're not being taken away! You're just, uh… being moved! That's all!" Stacey said, trying again to calm them.

"…that doesn't make me feel better at all!" Ernie said. "I don't wanna leave!"

"Ugh. This is harder than I thought it was gonna be…" Stacey placed her fingertips on her temples. "Look, I dislike this just as much as you do."

"Then why are you doing it?" Bert cried.

"Because I have to!" Stacey said, loudly. "I didn't make this decision. Look, I'm sorry, but this is what they told me I had to do. I know you don't like it, and I don't like it either! I had no idea that this is what they were going make me do, I usually just stay at the facility. But they said it was an emergency, so I rushed out here. They called me and I told them what you told me. I found nothing wrong with your situation, but apparently they did, and they are the ones who make the big decisions. I'm just a councilor."

"And who exactly are 'they'?" Bert said.

"The DCFS." Stacey said. "My boss, my supervisor, my colleagues, and a bunch of people I don't even know. Look, I'm sorry, I really am. That's the one thing I don't like about my job. I see people get heartbroken." A chime sounded from her tote bag again. It was her phone again. She looked at the screen and said, "Sorry, I gotta go. If you have any questions, here's my number."

She handed Bert a card that read: "Stacey Fernback, Councilor, Oakbrook Hall" and under that were two phone numbers.

"Why are there two phone numbers?" Bert asked.

"Um… no reason. Don't call the one on the bottom, it um… doesn't work." Stacey said, walking towards the door. "Goodbye. See you tomorrow Ernie." She left, as she said behind the door, "I'm sorry."

A/N: Reviews are appreciated.


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